Long-time rivals Rick Pitino and John Calipari could face each other in the NCAA Tournament again if St. John's and Arkansas each reach the second round.

Pitino, fresh off leading St. John’s to its first trip to the Big Dance since 2019 and its first Big East tournament title since 2000, will return to the city where he first built a college basketball powerhouse — Pitino’s Providence team reached the Final Four in 1987 — when the Red Storm face 15th-seeded Omaha on Thursday in the first round.

While previewing the Red Storm's draw in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, Pitino implored players and fans to "wave" as they passed the exit for UConn's campus on the drive north to Providence, where St. John's will take on the No. 15 seed Omaha to open the tourney.